Spirit Airlines Passenger Banned for Life for Vaping on Plane

Image: Spirit Airlines Airbus A319. (photo courtesy of Spirit Airlines)
Image: Spirit Airlines Airbus A319. (photo courtesy of Spirit Airlines)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:06 AM ET, Tue June 11, 2019

Spirit Airlines has banned a customer for life after he reportedly set off a smoke alarm in the bathroom of a plane by vaping during a flight.

According to the New York Daily News, Spirit Flight NK 985 took off from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport en route to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport when a male passenger was told he couldn't smoke on the plane.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Captain Jason Rivarde said after being told he couldn't smoke by the flight attendant, the passenger made his way to the bathroom and a short time later, the plane's smoke alarm went off.

Crew members were told by other passengers the man had been drinking alcohol from bottles he snuck onboard under his jacket, which is not permitted. When the plane landed in New Orleans, the passenger was met by police.

While the authorities did not charge the man with a crime after he denied knowing smoking was not permitted on flights, Spirit has issued a lifetime ban for vaping during a trip.


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